1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a nose protect for reshaping the nose and preventing diseases in the nose.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, an interest in cosmetology increases and a person whose nose is small and low for the size of his face has a considerable interest in rhinoplasty. A person whose nostrils are small has the problem that he breathes with difficulty, in addition to cosmetology. As a conventional technique for making the shape of the nose look attractive, a surgical rhinoplastic operation that plastic is embedded in the nose or silicon is injected into the nose is known. In such a surgical operation, however, the human body is directly damaged and foreign matter is injected to increase a mental burden of a feeling of uneasiness in the operation, such as a failure or a secondary effect. Furthermore, the surgical operation is costly, many days are required for postoperative care, and the possibility of postoperative carcinogenesis cannot be excluded. Thus, the surgical operation fails to provide the technique that is easily applicable to anyone who desires rhinoplasty (nose reshaping).
Consequently, to perform rhinoplasty (nose reshaping), techniques of removably mounting nose-reshaping devices in nostrils without performing the surgical operation have recently been proposed as the ones that lessen mental, economical, and physical burdens and can be used readily and rapidly. Conventional nose-reshaping devices removably mounted in nostrils so that the nose can be reshaped without performing the surgical operation are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Kohyo No. 2002-519140, Japanese Patent Kokai Nos. 2001-37796 and 2000-135234, Japanese Utility Model Publication Nos. Hei 07-33775 and Hei 03-19856, and Japanese Patent Kokai No. Hei 10-127776.
The nose-reshaping device set forth in Kohyo No. 2002-519140 is designed to have one end portion coming in contact with the inside of a nasal tip in the vestibule of the nose and the other end portion coming in contact with the inside of an ala nasi in the vestibule of the nose, provided to an elastic-deformable, slender arcuate body, and a top portion coming in contact with a part different from the other end portion coming in contact with the inside of the ala nasi in the vestibule of the nose. The nose-reshaping device set forth in Kokai No. 2001-37796 is designed to have a circular external end portion coming in contact with the inside of the nasal tip in the vestibule of the nose and an internal end portion supporting the inside of the ala nasi in the vestibule of the nose, provided to an elastic-deformable, slender rod-shaped body. The nose-reshaping device described in Kokai No. 2000-135234 is designed to have a reshaping cap inserted in the nostril and abutting on the bridge of the nose, a supporting cap abutting on the rear wall of the nostril, and a connecting rod that interconnects the reshaping cap and the supporting cap and that is capable of expansion and contraction. The nose-reshaping device described in Publication No. Hei 07-33775 is made with a flexible material and is constructed so that the entire body is shaped like a slender strip, both end portions are rounded, and the section has a flat or wedge shape in which one side is smaller in thickness than the other. The nose-reshaping device set forth in Publication No. Hei 03-19856 is constructed with a combination of a U-shaped base plate having rack-like teeth on the inside surface and a plate-spring inverted-V-shaped upper plate whose top is round, having the rack-like teeth on the outside surface so that the meshing position of the rack-like teeth is adjusted and thereby the entire height can be controlled. The nose-reshaping device set forth in Kokai No. Hei 10-127776 is configured like a circular, elliptical, or polygonal cylinder and is inserted into the nostril so that the nostril can be enlarged.
However, the nose-reshaping device set forth in each of Kohyo No. 2002-519140, Kokai Nos. 2001-37796 and 2000-135234, and Publication No. Hei 07-33775 is configured like a nearly slender rod, ranging from the end portion coming in contact with the inside of the nasal tip in the vestibule of the nose to the end portion coming in contact with the inside of the ala nasi, so that the contact area of the end portion coming in contact with the inside of the nose is reduced. Consequently, in the case where the nose-reshaping device is configured using a material that facilitates elastic deformation, the nose-reshaping device, after being mounted in the nostril, becomes liable to come off because of a shock from the exterior or internal moisture. When a material in which elastic deformation is difficult is used, there is the fear that the inside part of the nose coming in contact with each end portion is damaged by the shock from the exterior. In the nose-reshaping device described in Publication No. Hei 07-33775, it is also proposed that an elastic protector, such as a sponge, is attached to the end portion coming in contact with the inside part of the nose to thereby prevent the damage of the nose. However, the elastic protector must be provided as an independent member, and thus the number of parts is increased and the cost is raised accordingly, with the result that mounting is complicated. The sponge used in the elastic protector cannot be used over and over again from the viewpoint of its strength and as a result, the cost is further raised.
According to the nose-reshaping device described in each of Publication No. Hei 03-19856 and Kokai No. Hei 10-127776, by contrast, the entire device is configured into an annular shape with a preset width, and hence the areas of the end portions coming in contact with the insides of the nasal tip in the vestibule of the nose and of the ala nasi can be relatively enlarged. However, since this nose-reshaping device is configured into the annular shape with uniform width and thickness as a whole, it is difficult to mount the device in the nostril by elastic deformation. Moreover, when the contact area in the nose is enlarged, cutaneous respiration becomes impossible and comfortableness is impaired. The device is susceptible to contamination to propagate various germs, and this tends to breed rhinitis.
Furthermore, any of the conventional nose-reshaping devices set forth in the above prior art references is configured so that it is difficult to be removed and instruments, such as tweezers, must be used in the nostril. This is inconvenient for dismounting the device. In recent years, persons contracting nasal diseases, such as rhinitis, nasal allergy, and hay fever, have increased. Such nasal diseases are liable to be contracted when eyes and a mucosa in the nasal cavity react oversensitively to pollen, house dust, and exhaust gases. When the blood flow of the mucosa in the nasal cavity is insufficient, fine dust and germs that are not completely removed by vibrissae, in drawn air, cannot be eliminated and clarified by the mucosa, are carried to the choanae by the transportation of mucosal glandular hair, and are sent to the throat and respiratory organs such as the bronchi and lungs. As a result, there is the fear that respiratory diseases become liable to be produced. In order to obviate such nasal diseases, mask-wearing persons have recently been increasing. However, everyday wear of the mask impairs shapeliness of a personal figure and is liable to constitute an obstacle to living. In addition, the conventional nose-reshaping devices set forth in the above references fail to have functions of warding off nasal diseases.